The Impulse For Wanting New Gear

Over the last couple of months, I haven’t really thought much about the camera or lens I bring with me on any photowalk. For the most part, I reach my hand into the dry box to grab the camera nearest to me. If there were a decision making process, compactness and full manual controls would be the only considerations. As such, I usually end up with a Leica MP-type rangefinder, a 35mm Summicron of no particular iteration, and a helping of room temperature film. For me, this configuration is all I need to carry out the duties of my photowalk.

Simple. There is no other way of communicating the eloquence of my attitude towards choosing camera gear for my photowalk. There is no stress, no regrets, or second guessing involved in failing to bring the right setup because the act of photo taking is supposed to be enjoyable. And besides, how would bringing the supposed right gear improve my photo taking experience? Would it be indispensable in capturing better photos? Would it capture reality beyond the realism of reality? Or would it transform the mundane into the extraordinary?

Looking at the photos on this photowalk, can one truly say the outcome suffered from wrong camera and lens selection? Whether I shot with my preferred Leica MP variant or the latest digital imaging device, the resulting photos would have been more or less the same. My ability to take a proper photograph will prevail, regardless of the gear. For that reason, I don’t really think all that much about the gear I bring with me on a photowalk. All that matters is whether I can take photos with it. If that condition is met, then I have no reason to complain.

Fujifilm Superia 400 @ 35mm Focal Length

That said, many of you may notice that my selection does appear confined to products with that little red dot. Frankly, I prefer Leica products because of the aforementioned considerations relevant to my shooting habits and practice - being compactness and full manual controls on a film camera. Clearly, that rules out any digital imaging devices. On top of that, it also rules out larger analog SLRs too. Because of that, what is left to choose is just a small selection of rangefinders that fits my criteria - like my preferred Leica M-mount rangefinders.

This is partly why I shoot with a Leica analog rangefinder. What is however a bigger reason why I choose Leica over other brands is because a Leica is a Leica - a brand desired the world over for its quality in craftsmanship and hallowed legacy spanning over a century. Yes, I admit that is a superficial reason. But, there’s no escaping how forgiving we are towards that little red dot. That said, we tend to be more diligent when considering other brands. We actually go through a checklist - in researching, comparing, and testing the product in question.

We all want to believe that there is some checklist we need to follow, in order to optimize our gear purchasing decision. In reality, it is much less complex than what we allow ourselves to believe because the homogeneity of contemporary imaging device - whether we pick a Leica, Canon, Nikon, or any other brand - makes them all the same. On top of that, the iterative differences of modern imaging devices within a single product upgrade cycle is marginal if not specious. With that being the case, why should any reasonable person buy new gear?

Obviously, newer is better. Newer in the product cycle means improved performance, expanded functionality, and greater reliability. But, is the better in newer really appreciable in practice? We would all like to believe it is better. And in truth, it probably is better. That said, is the better in newer really worth the added investment? If one cannot afford the added cost, then the better in newer is not worth it - especially if the worse in older isn’t debilitating and can still provide sufficient performance, functionality, and reliability in taking proper photos.

But, what if one can afford the added investment? This is where the discussion becomes more involved. In my opinion, just because one has the means to purchase new gear, it does not necessarily mean that one should do it. That said, if new gear is purchased, let’s be clear why we do it. In the most reasonable case scenario, we buy new gear in preparation for planned obsolescence. In other words, new gear rescues us from being stuck with aging gear, given the risk of costly product failure and depreciation increases the longer we hold on to it.

Get real! Reason seldom has anything to do with our buying decisions - especially when the heart is involved. The real reason why we purchase new gear is because of vanity. Yes, vanity! New gear has this transformative effect on us. It hangs off our shoulders like a fashion accessory making us believe we’re worthy for keeping up with the Joneses or better than everyone else for getting it first. Not surprisingly, such encouraging incentives of peer approval and adulation spur our vanities to want and buy new gear - leaving reason out in the cold.

On top of vanity, there’s also lust of newer gear that seduces us to want and buy newer gear. How could it not? The belief that newer gear will take better photos for us makes our heart skip a beat. But, who’s kidding who. It is the newness of new that makes them objects of desire. Because of that, we long to bring them home, so we can caress them longingly and spoil them adoringly with decorative adornments. Clearly, such deep passions for gear are irrational. Nevertheless, it make lust a potent provocateur urging us to want and buy newer gear.

Then there is greed, which unhinges us to want and buy newer and better gear. I mean, if a single purchase of new gear can intoxicate us with so much esteem and passion, just think what more newer and better gear can do. So much to love! So much to show! So much to choose! Not surprisingly, greed makes us utterly hysterical in spurring us to buy more newer gear - over and over again - just so our vanity and lust can get repeated hits of esteem and passion - over and over again. It’s in this way that greed pushes us to want and buy more gear.

Vanity, lust, and greed - all clouding reason in new gear purchase. Given what I have said, you would think that I am against it. Well, you would be wrong. I am not against new gear purchase. I mean, let’s face it. Someone’s got to buy new gear. We all live in this Ponzi scheme of a market economy. And if we all become reasonable in our gear purchasing decisions, the camera industry would fall like a deck of cards. That said, don’t kid yourself into thinking that altruism is behind your wanting and buying either. It’s more a case of diminished capacity.

So if I’m not against new gear purchase, why the diatribe? To be frank. I am regularly asked for advice on gear purchases. Thing is, I’m often puzzled why readers reach out to me. I mean, I understand that no one wants to be stuck with gear that will end up as regret. However, it is not like there is some silver bullet answer to lessen the uncertainties of gear purchase. Fact is, you will never know if you’re going to like new gear purchases until it’s yours. Only when money is involved can one see new gear for what it is. It can either be fun or regret.

From my experience, new gear is generally regarded as regret if one cannot afford it. The guilt of splurging on indulgences never sits well on one’s conscience if practical concerns interfere with our fun. However, if one is free from guilt, and therefore regret, then new gear purchase can only be regarded as fun. And, why shouldn’t it be? Fun is really the best and only reason to get new gear. I mean, it can’t be because new gear takes better photos for us - which it doesn’t. As such, the only benefit of new gear is the experience of playing with it.

I know how unsatisfying that explanation sounds. We all want to believe that there is a more functional reason justifying our want of new gear. I’m sorry to tell you there isn’t one. It’s been the want of fun all along impairing our judgment to contort reality so we can convince ourselves to get new gear. So if fun is the cause obsessing us to get new gear, we might as well have fun with it. Just make sure your concept of fun is to take photos with it and not to caress it longingly at home. Only in using new gear would one not grow regretful of buying it.

Last, knowing what I’ve argued on this blog post, does this mean I will not purchase new gear? Especially now that I shoot film almost exclusively? Look, I’m not dead. I still want to have fun. It’s just the folks at Wetzlar have been rather slow in rolling out new products off their assembly line. That said, it’s not like I require new gear to have fun. As fun as new gear is, taking photos is where the fun is. And, I had fun on this photowalk shooting an older camera without any of the bells and whistles standard on newer gear. In fact, I probably had more fun!

But yes, it helps with that little red dot. I know, très superficial.

Special thanks to Beatrice for joining me on this photowalk. Strangely, no wardrobe mismatch experienced on this day. Love the red face mask.

Disclaimer

May 7 The Impulse For Wanting New Gear

Disclaimer

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